The Story

On her wedding night, new bride Esti Shvartz, flees her bedroom after a violent confrontation with her husband, Yedidya. She retreats to the darkened living room, hoping for refuge as she curls up on the couch. But sleep brings no peace. As the oppressive silence of the night deepens, Esti is jolted awake by the sound of slow, deliberate footsteps creeping toward her from the hallway. Her breath catches as a shadow looms over her, a chilling presence closing in, followed by the heavy, labored breathing of something unnatural. The terror is palpable as a clawed hand pushes against the fabric of her blanket, before it suddenly retreats, leaving her shaken and unsure if she’s safe or still being watched by whatever her husband is becoming.

The next day, Esti goes to the office of the revered Rav Eliezer seeking help for her husband. She describes her husband's increasingly erratic and violent behavior, but Rav Eliezer dismisses her fears as mere marital tension, offering advice that feels more like objectification than a solution. His cold, detached response—suggesting that she simply fulfill her”wifely duties” and all will be well when her husband is satisfied—leaves her feeling trapped in a suffocating web of tradition and gendered expectations. The rabbi’s lingering gaze on her body while he talks down to her adds a layer of unease, as Esti realizes that no one will believe her, and she’s completely alone in her struggle.

Esti’s nightmare comes to a horrifying climax when she confronts Yedidya in their bedroom, only to see for sure that the man she married is no longer there. The figure before her is grotesque—his once-human form now a twisted, bile-dripping mockery of her husband. Its eyes are clouded and soulless, and its grin is an unnatural, grotesque distortion. As the creature wearing Yedidya’s face closes in on her, it reveals its true nature, explaining that it chose Yedidya’s body because no one would believe her when she sought help and now it lays claim to her as well. The door slams shut behind her with finality, trapping Esti in the bedroom and a dark, suffocating nightmare from which there is no escape.